Cherokee County NcArchives News.....A Terrible Murder September 10, 1895
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Lynn Cunningham http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002535 February 1, 2007, 9:25 pm

Cherokee Scout, Murphy, N.C. September 10, 1895

Bob Dockery Kills an Irishman by the Name of Brice

On last Tuesday afternoon about 3 o'clock at an illegal whiskey shop, some two 
miles from Murphy, on the Hangingdog road, kept by a white woman named Sis 
Roberts, there was a horrible committed.

The victim was an Irishman by the name of M. Brice, familiarly known as Pat, 
who had been peddling spectacles through the country and boarding at the Widow 
Hubbard's in our town. He was a genteel fellow and had all the genial 
qualities common to the sons of Erin, and when he had a jager of whiskey it 
tingled throughout his entire being.

So on this occasion he offered some spectacles for sale and said he would give 
pair to anybody who was a good Democrat, and threw off good humoredly on the 
Republicans.

The woman who kept the house called him to her and advised him to be quiet. He 
took her hand and said he would do so, and just at this time Bob Dockery, one 
of the three Dockery boys and son of Eli Dockery, who were present, caught up 
a chair and struck him on the head from behind, crushing his skull, some two 
and a-half inches above the right ear. Brice fell and after a few minutes 
scrambled to his feet. He did not know who struck him or why they did it, but 
seemed to realize that he was badly hurt. Later he knelt down and prayed, and 
spoke of his mother and sister. He died Wednesday morning about 7 o'clock.

There were present at the time of the killing Sis Roberts, Elmira Reid, Tom, 
Joe and Bob Dockery and Sid McLelland, colored. Others came up soon after and 
saw what was done and heard declarations of who did the killing.

The remains of Brice were interred in the Methodist cemetery Thursday 
afternoon.

An effort was made to apprise his relatives of his death, but they could not 
be located, but we understand that he has relatives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The material point at the coroner's inquest was testified to by all the 
witnesses we heard.

The coroner's jury, after being in session half a day, rendered a verdict that 
the deceased, known as M. Brice, came to his death from a blow on the head 
inflicted with a chair in the hands of Bob Dockery.

The chair with which Dockery struck and killed Brice was broken all to pieces, 
showing that the lick was a powerful one.

The witnesses before the coroner's jury all testified that Dockery and Brice 
had no hard words. In fact, some claim that they had not even spoken to each 
other.

Last Friday Coroner J.L. Berrong and Deputy Sheriff Hugh Sneed made diligent 
search for Bob Dockery, but he could not be found. He has not been seen since 
Wednesday morning, and it is thought that he has left the State.

[Transcribed 2/1/2007 Lynn Cunningham]

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